Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

In 1986, Henry Lee is among a group of people standing outside the Panama Hotel when it reopens, revealing an abundance of belongings of the Japanese families who were sent to internment camps during World War II. The discovery causes Henry to remember his best friend and first love, a Japanese girl he went to school with during his childhood in the 1940's. They formed a strong bond of friendship and loyalty that they both hoped would last through the war years. Now it's 40 years later and the past is coming back to life, in old photo albums, sketchbooks, and a record recording that many music aficionados don't believe exist. Henry's search through everything found in the basement of the hotel takes him on a journey back in time, to the world he grew up in, his relationship with his parents, and his love for a girl that he let go.

I know everyone loved this book. As usual I am the exception. I thought it was drawn out and overall pretty depressing. The only character I really enjoyed was Sheldon. But I am not one for love stories so maybe that is why. For such a short book it took me almost a week to read it because I just wasn't that interested.

2 stars